TRANSPORT chiefs have announced plans for a multi-storey car park at Crewe Station.

In last week's Chronicle, we revealed the rail station's long-awaited £30m modernisation had been singled out as a priority for Cheshire County Council for the coming five years.

Now officials are pushing ahead to secure funding for the scheme, with an application for a grant of up to £15m due to be submitted to the Department of Transport by July.

If approved, a 1,000-space car park block would be built on the disused Weston House site on the corner of Weston Road and Nantwich Road, and would require the relocation of the adjacent Royal Mail delivery office.

It would not affect the main sorting office next door where parcels and post from across the region are sorted, only the smaller office where postal workers pick up their rounds and where the public can pick up undelivered mail.

County council transport co-ordinator Michael Ross said: 'We are currently at the stage of talking to Royal Mail about the possibility of relocating the delivery office while we try to secure funding.

'We are hoping to receive up to 50% of the regeneration costs from the Department of Transport, and hope the car park would also attract private sector investment.

'A new station entrance in Weston Road would help relieve congestion along the bridge top section of Nantwich Road, with all station traffic except buses moving to Weston Road.

'But people also want an impressive gateway into Crewe, so part of the thinking is to remodel the en-trance to fit the image of a 21st Century town.'

Borough councillors have long argued that updating the 19th Century station is key to further-reaching plans to transform the town's South East Quadrant into a bustling commercial centre.

And although they welcomed the recognition given by the county council to the station and to other projects such as the completion of the Crewe Green Link Road, there was still a feeling more could be done to make sure Crewe is first in line for limited government transport funds.

Borough council executive director for environment and development, Paul Ancell said: 'Given the likelihood of major changes to Crewe town centre in the next few years, it is imperative that access improvements be co-ordinated with emerging developments.'